California debate over lead ammo heading toward showdown

[spectr17]

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5537308

 

[Marty]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

"There wasn't enough science and other information before to show a causal link between legitimate hunting and risk to condors from lead poisoning," said Dale Steele, program manager for wildlife species conservation for the Fish and Game department.[/b]

The term he used was "casual," not "direct." That doesn't prove that condors are ingesting bullets. The UC Santa Cruz report claims that condors in their sample set had elevated levels of lead similar to lead from bullets. However, they don't say whether they identified all other sources and isotopes of lead that condors may have ingested.

edit: Yes, my mistake. It is 'causal', and not 'casual'. Still, the true relationship has not been defined. If this were a human analysis, there would be an exposure factor. As it stands, they don't know that lead from bullet fragments pose the greatest risk to condors. For all they know, it could be lead from tire weights. The rest is some degree of a hypothesis.

 

[Speckmisser]

Actually, the term he used was "CAUSAL", which is as direct as it gets. If a true, causal relationship is identified, especially to other scavengers and raptors (like eagles), then as conservationists it behooves us to take this for what it is, and begin the process of weaning ourselves off of lead ammo.

 

[MJB]

Why are we still shooting animals with a known toxin?????
I know the industry will change and come up with better and better alternatives just give it time.
Meanwhile start shooting all of your lead so you can buy the non-toxic, because hear comes the ban.....Oh and if you think this is just a California thing guess again, all the other states will follow especially if the next study reviles a reduced level of lead.